“There are more police in our schools than books.”
Youth leader speaks at Community Dialogue hosted by Project South’s Septima Clark Community Power Institute organizers on July 14.

Peoples 100 Days & Southern Movement Assembly VI in Chattanooga

Organizations across the South are working together for our dignity. We are bringing people together through the Peoples 100 Day Countdown to develop new ways of understanding and new plans of action in this time of crisis. The South is hot, communities are organizing, and movement energy is growing as we change the narrative to lift #SouthernPeoplesPower.

Join the Southern Movement Assembly and get involved with the Peoples 100 Days leading up to and beyond the election. The Peoples 100 Days is part of the Southern Peoples Initiatives to hold local assemblies to build power and coordinated shared actions across the South. Assemblies in Uniontown, AL; Clarkston, GA: Dothan, AL; New Orleans, LA; Hondo, TX; and Tennessee statewide are convening people on the frontlines of economic, ecological, and social crises. Register herefor a national SMA Digital Dialogue on September 6.

The Southern Movement Assembly VI will be held in Chattanooga, TN on October 1-2. Organize a delegation to be a part of assemblies that connect our local struggles with the regional, national, and global struggles of the South. Register here for the SMA VI.

Learn more about the Southern Movement Assembly and stay connected at SouthtoSouth.Org.

#SOUTHERNFREEDOMMOVEMENT #SOUTHERNPEOPLESPOWER

Legal & Advocacy in Atlanta:

Know Your Rights Presentation: Do you know what to do during interactions with the police? Do you know what rights to assert at work or at school?

On Friday September 2nd, gather with us as we answer these questions and more. This is a free event with light refreshments. This event will start at 6 pm and it will be held at 964 N. Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston, GA.

Project South’s legal and advocacy work, directed by Azadeh Shahshahani, is committed to defending immigrant and Muslim Communities in the South against state repression. Project South is providing a series of Know Your Rights presentations for immigrant, refugee, and Muslim communities. If you’re interested in hosting one for your community, email us at legal@projectsouth.org.

“When the American Dream is Denied to Some (Challenging naturalization and Green Card delays)” presented by Dustin Baxter of Kuck Immigration Partners LLC, and Jama Ibrahim of Ibrahim & Rao

“When the FBI Comes Knocking (Representing clients approached by law enforcement for questioning)” presented by Jack Martin of Martin Brothers

“Liberty for All? (What to do when public institutions engage in religious discrimination)” presented by Dan Mach of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief

“Cracking Down on Dissent (Representing clients subpoenaed by a Grand Jury)” presented by Akil Secret of The Secret Firm, P.C.

Repression and Resistance: Liberation Struggles within Communities of Color

The National Lawyers Guild invites the Atlanta Community to attend a panel and conversation with professors, lawyers, and political activists to explore legacies of resistance to state violence. The event will be held onTuesday, August 30 from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Georgia State University College of Law. For more information, follow the event on Facebook.

#30More- Honoring Project South’s 3 Decades of Movement Building

Thank you to the hosts of the Boston House Party who raised over $2,700 at the first #30MORE event. House parties will continue throughout the year across the U.S. toward the celebration weekend in November. We also had a successful “Spiked” Tea Party in the Bay Area with new and long time members committing to connecting work in the U.S. across regions. Thank you to all the people who have come out in support!

Join us in Olympia, Washington on September 8 for a party and dialogue with Stephanie Guilloud at the Olympia Underground. Steph will be giving a talk entitled, “Growing Social Movements: A Plan of Action in a Time of Crisis.” That evening will kick off three days of house parties in the Pacific Northwest with members and communities supporting movement work in the South. For location and additional details, and information on hosting a House Party in your area, please email jeanette@projectsouth.org. We will update this page as we add house parties and events in your area.

Save the date for a membership weekend in honor of our 30th anniversary. Join us in Atlanta for a founders symposium, youth organizers reunion, political education, and events throughout the weekend honoring the last 30 years and envisioning #30MORE.

Project South 30th Anniversary: November 18-20, 2016

Project South Calendar

JULY 14: Atlanta, GA: The Septima Clark Community Power Institute held a community dialogue on the police, schools, and the youth-led #10Mil4Real campaign. (Pictured left)

JULY 15-18: Virginia: The 4th and final Central Appalachian BAM brought together organizers from the region to culminate a year of working to develop organizing skills and a long term strategy across frontlines for their communities.

JULY 19-21: Rio de Janiero, Brazil: Azadeh Shahshahani was a juror for a people’s tribunal on democracy in Brazil held in Rio, Brazil July 19-20. The tribunal which was organized by social justice movements in Brazil condemned the coup against President Rousseff. You can read the press statement here. (Pictured right)

JULY 22-23: Mobile, AL: The Youth Organizing Team traveled to Mobile to facilitate a meeting with young local leadership and the Center for Fair Housing around the community and youth response to the murder of Mike Moore.

JULY 24-31: Palestine: Regional organizer Ash-Lee Henderson toured throughout Palestine and the region with a cohort of organizers in the Movement for Black Lives. Read the Black Lives Matter statement on solidarity with the Palestinian people in the movement for justice and freedom.

JULY 24-25: Uniontown, AL: Jovan Julien travelled to Uniontown to support programming by the Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health and Justice.

JULY 27: Atlanta, GA: Waging a Battle for Human Rights in the South: More than 60 people attended this event where we talked about the legal and advocacy work of Project South. Several participants also signed up to help us with organizing Know Your Rights presentations as well documenting conditions at immigration detention centers. We wish to thank Ballard Spahr for graciously hosting us!

AUGUST 1 through NOVEMBER 8: Peoples 100 Day Countdown: Peoples Movement Assemblies across the South will gather communities to address frontline concerns, create long-term visions for justice, and develop community-led positions on this time of crisis. Southern Movement Assembly anchors are organizing assemblies – Go to www.southtosouth.org for more information on upcoming Assemblies in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana. Sign on to the Southern Peoples Initiatives!

AUGUST 10-14: Montreal, Canada: Project South staff members Jovan Julien, Bassey Etuk, and Jeanette Cuevas attended the World Social Forum in Montreal.

AUGUST 11-13: Whitesburg, KY: Steph facilitated a strategy planning retreat with leaders from the Letcher Governance Project in Eastern Kentucky where they are organizing to stop the construction of a federal prison. To learn more about this campaign, read “Prisons won’t fuel innovation economy in E. Kentucky” by Ada Smith.

AUGUST 16: Miami, Fl: Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson spoke on the “Love Drought Plenary: What’s at Stake for the Black Radical Tradition in the 21st Century”panel at the Dream Defenders Congress 6.

AUGUST 20: Uniontown, AL: The Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health & Justice will hold an assembly to bring together all community members in Uniontown and the Black Belt to strategize together and build a shared action toward a peoples economy and democracy. Follow the event on Facebook.

SEPTEMBER 8-10: Pacific Northwest: Join us in Olympia, Seattle, and Portland for three days of house parties to celebrate Project South’s 30th anniversary with Stephanie Guilloud. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for up to date information. If you would like more information, email Jeanette@ProjectSouth.org

OCTOBER 1-2: Chattanooga, TN: Southern Movement Assembly VI- Bring your dreams, your visions, and your plans to the sixth regional assembly of frontline communities. We will sharpen our collective plan of action and prepare for the challenges and opportunities of 2017. Save the date and join us!